Temple of Anahita; The Second Largest Stone Structure in Iran
Temple of Anahita; The Second Biggest Stonny Place of Iran
Temple of Anahita; The Second Biggest Stonny Place of Iran
Temple of Anahita is The Second Largest Stone Structure in Iran after Takht-e Jamshid. This temple is located in Kangavar city of Kermanshah Province. Keep reading to know more about Temple of Anahita.
Introduction
A Stone Structure dating back to B.C. This temple was the place for respecting the goddess of water, Anahita. After entering Islam to Iran, here was changed a lot. Based on documents, this place dates back to Achaemenid era.
Location
The temple is located in Kangavar city in Kermanshah province near Shohada street. This historical part is placed on a hill with height of 32 meters. Entrance of the temple has two-sided stairs situated in southern part of it. In northern of temple, there is a mosque and Imamzadeh.
History
Ancient people of Iran believed that Anahita was the Goddess of water, abundance, beauty and fertility.
It seems that this temple is the first stone structure of Achaemenid era. Construction of here started from Achaemenid era and finished during reign of Sassanid Empire. But different researchers have different ideas about the date of this place and some of them believe that here was an unfinished palace of Khausrav Parviz.
Architecture
Height of the temple is 32 meters. Map of the temple shows the quadrilateral shape of it. There are stony tunnels and canals around the temple leading water to the center of it. On the upside of temple, there are four shapes which are like head of bulls. In the middle part, there is a space that water was gathered and was filling a small pool.
On the walls, there are big columns with height of 354 centimeters. Materials used for constructing this walls are stone and plaster.
In the southern part of the temple, there are two rows of stairs that historians said length of them was 154 meters. One of the interesting points about the temple is a rock in the center of it with width of 9.5, length of 94 and 4 meters’ height. Constructing columns without any decoration has made historians believe that they were used as balustrades. Some historians believe that architecture of the Temple of Anahita is like the style of Greece architecture, but some historians disagree with this idea and say this place is an art of Iranians.
How to Get There?
Get to Shohada street in Kangavar city, Kermanshah province. You will find the temple there.
Address: Iran, Kermanshah Province, Kangavar City, Temple of Anahita
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